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January 09, 2007

JAM - new eppy from Tunbridge Wells

I thought again I'd blog the show and give you instant reactions to what I hear.

And we're in Tunbridge Wells with Paul, Clement, Maria McErlane and Kit Hesketh-Harvey - a solid combo. The introes seem back to their normal length so maybe I read too much into the shortened version last week!

Nicholas: "we begin the show with Paul Merton, and Paul, actually the next subject is the first one..." try that out for logic! The subject is "taking the waters". He compares it with "taking the urine". Kit says he will spring to the defence of Tunbridge Wells and gets the subject. He says he comes from there! He's very erudite and very funny at the same time. A typical wrangle over whether Kit repeated himself - I really like Kit, he's just so different to everyone else in style, so fluent, so interesting, and he sounds like a really nice guy!

Maria challenges and is accused of being too pedantic - hmmmmmm....

Kit starts with "in the back of my mind". He goes back to his younger days there and is very funny... He is so good on this show. At the moment he must be well in the lead as he is having several challenges against him turned down. This show is going very very well - Paul in great form, he now has the subject, and turns it against Kit's reminiscing. We must have missed a round as Kit is said to be four points behind Paul.

Clement now begins and the subject is "the last resort". This is the first time he has actually had the subject - and Maria hasn't had it yet either. Clement starts listing towns and not really getting on to the subject. Maria asks if listing is allowed - "it was about the last resort". She then says she is quite new to it - she actually first appeared 11 years ago. Nicholas says listing is hard to do... It is but it's not huge fun to listen to. Paul gets him on repetition of Wells. Paul dominating - he now has a bonus point. Kit again talking about the area, says "as a young TV", and accepts Maria's suggestion that that meant transvestite. He gets a benefit of the doubt - this is a really good show. Big smile on my face. Lots of interaction between the cast - that always makes for great listening. Clement, Maria, Kit and Paul bantering, teasing Nicholas. Paul: "I've got 10 quid in my pocket that says let's forget the last 10 minutes." Kit eventually continues - I really enjoyed that. Maria still hasn't had the subject.

Paul begins with "Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells". Attributes the phrase to Private Eye - he is getting on to his school days with Kit in Tunbridge Wells. Off the subject but repeats "wonderful" too. Kit gets in and then Maria for the first time today. Paul makes it into a letter complaining about what Nicholas is wearing.

Maria begins with "meat and two veg". Subjects have been very funny today - the new producer's input? Paul leaps on her saying she saw someone eating a kangaroo's testicles. Clement quotes the old line "she sits among the cauliflowers and peas"....

We must miss two rounds as it's Paul starting again, this time with "ducking and diving". Kit has it again - he is so interesting and funny. She's doing a list of things banned in a swimming pool. Paul picks that up and Clement laughs, "we don't like lists". Maria gets through to the whistle and cheers herself.

Maria starts with "off the record". She is stumbling and they're not challenging - she still hasn't been buzzed. Silence now - Clement eventually saves us - he can't believe he has 40 seconds left. Certainly it seemed longer! Kit says off the record, he can reveal he was married to Nicholas Parsons in a civil ceremony. Nicholas says "as far as I know that is deviation". He says he can't remember it. Paul says "that must hit home, Kit". Gee this show is good. Paul takes the theme up, says Nicholas is in the habit of marrying panellists. Clement gets in with half a second to go, so there's the icing on the cake.

Maria comes fourth, Kit third, Clement second, Paul the winner - I bet it would be different if we just scored what went to air.

That was a fine fine show. Well done to Kit in particular, but I thought Paul was at his brillaint best too.

6 Comments:

Anonymous said...

This episode was brilliant! I think for all intents and purposes, I can at last relax and just enjoy the show, because of of the ten minute by play that was going on with Nicholas being so completely and utterly confused about Kit dressing up like a television, not realizing that TV also meant Transvestite, I'm actually surprised that Nicholas didn't pick up on that when Maria so blatantly said it, considering that there was a period I think in late 90's when Nicholas wouldn't shut up about appearing in The Rocky Horror Show. I think it's finally here that Nicholas' incompetence and idiocy finally works to his advantage, although his final realization and the way he said 'ohhhh' sounded too much like Kenneth Williams, which is just wrong. but finally, loads of fun from start to finish.

my favorite bit had to be the long banter about televisions and transvestites, but it surprises me that the word transvestite is used three times in relation to TV, yet is still takes Nicholas TEN MINUTES to make the connection, THIS coming from someone who in the late 90's wouldn't shut up about being in the Rocky Horror Show and even once said that he attended a Gay Beauty Pageant or has a large Gay following, yet was still talking about bloody televisions even AFTER the realization that TV also stands for transvestite!

but then again, I shouldn't be all that surprised since Nicholas was after all once outwitted by an herbacious border and doesn't believe in extra wide fitting shoes.

I think Nicholas DID hear the "transvestite" line, and was deliberately playing dumb for the sake of comedy. I think he's actually that astute, and is doing a lot more than most people realise in order to provide comic opportunities for the 4 performers.

you're probably right, that he was deliberately playing dumb, but it's hard to even believe that he was only playing dumb, only because if you listen to the program over the years and he comes up with the most ridiculous and unfunny rationalizations for giving someone a point or with leaving the subject with someone.

the only time it did seem like Nicholas was helping to direct the comedic moments was during the 'herbacious borders' incident, other than that, can't really see it.